Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2010
Before turning to the questions to be considered in this paper, we recall two other problems. Let C(a, p) be the class of all convex discs of area not less than a given constant a and perimeter not greater than a given constant p. What is the densest packing and what is the most economical covering of the Euclidean plane with discs from C(a, p)?
Both problems are interesting only if p2/a < 8√3, i.e. if p is less than the perimeter of a regular hexagon of area a. In this case, the densest packing arises from a regular hexagonal tiling by rounding off the corners of the tiles by equal circular arcs so as to obtain smooth hexagons of area a and perimeter p.